e
his cheek, a significant gesture perfectly understood by the imp. 'For
the life of me, Sam,' he afterwards profoundly observed, 'I couldn't
make out this here Captain by no manner of means whatsomever. At first
I thought as how he was going to put the muzzle to his shoulder. Hang me
if ever I see sich a gentleman. He missed everything; and at last if he
didn't hit the longest flying shots without taking aim. Hang me if ever
I see sich a gentleman. He hit everything. That ere Captain puzzled me,
surely.'

The party at dinner was increased by a neighbouring squire and his wife,
and the rector of the parish. Ferdinand was placed at the right hand of
Miss Temple. The more he beheld her the more beautiful she seemed. He
detected every moment some charm before unobserved. It seemed to him
that he never was in such agreeable society, though, sooth to say, the
conversation was not of a very brilliant character. Mr. Temple recounted
the sport of the morning to the squire, whose ears kindled at a
congenial subject, and every preserve in the county was then discussed,
with some episodes on poaching. The rector, an old gentleman, who had
dined in old days at Armine Place, reminded Ferdinand of the agreeable
circumstance, sanguine perhaps that the invitation might lead to a
renewal of his acquaintance with that hospitable board. He was painfully
profuse in his description of the public days of the famous Sir
Ferdinand. From the service of plate to the thirty servants in livery,
nothing was omitted.

'Our friend deals in Arabian tales,' whispered Ferdinand to Miss Temple;
'you can be a witness that we live quietly enough now.'

'I shall certainly never forget my visit to Armine,' replied Miss
Temple; 'it was one of the agreeable days of life.'

'And that is saying a great deal, for I think your life must have
abounded in agreeable days.'

'I cannot indeed lay any claim to that misery which makes many people
interesting,' said Miss Temple; 'I am a very commonplace person, for I
have been always happy.'

When the ladies withdrew there appeared but little inclination on the
part of the squire and the rector to follow their example; and Captain
Armine, therefore, soon left Mr. Temple to his fate, and escaped to
the drawing-room. He glided to a seat on an ottoman, by the side of
his hostess, and listened in silence to the conversation. What a
conversation! At any other time, under any other circumstances,
Ferdinand would have be